Lost Episode
by ImaginaryCity
Summary: Family Matters lost episode. The family is in surprise when Richie's dad shows up.
1. Date

Eddie was upstairs preparing to go on a date with one of his girlfriends. Harriet and Carl were both in the kitchen preparing dinner. And Lora was reading Richie a book in the living room.

The door bell rang and Eddie rushed down the stairs excitedly but then paused to return to his cool self.

Lora and Richie both looked at him.

Right before Eddie opened the door, he combed his hair back with his hands and then licked his lips.

He opens the door but only to find a tall white guy standing there.

"Hi, is Rachel Crawford here?" He asked with a warming smile.

"Um." Eddie looked surprised that it wasn't his date. "I think she may still be out of town."

"Oh."

Carl walked in and came by the door. "Hi, may I help you?"

"Yes, I'm looking for Rachel Crawford, but she's out of town?" The guy responded.

"Yes but she should be back soon. Please come in."

The guy walked in the house. "Oh, by the way, my name is Alex Decker."

Carl smiled. "It's nice to meet you, I'm Carl Winslow" He shook hands with Alex.

Harriet came from out the kitchen and into the living room where everyone else was.

"This is my wife, Harriet."

Alex takes out a hand for Harriet to shake. "Nice to meet you, I'm Alex."

"You say you know Rachel?" Carl asked.

Alex looks at Richie for a moment and then back up to Carl. "Yes. We use to date."

Carl and Harriet looked at each other at the same time.

"Are you sure you mean Rachel?" Harriet asked.

"Yes."

Carl chuckled a bit.

A car pulled up at the drive way.

"Speaking of date." Eddie started. "Here comes mine!" He walked off very cool like and made a half turned back. "See y'all later." He smiled and left.

"Have a seat, Alex." Carl offered and they sat down.

Alex took another glance at Richie again.

"I never saw you with Rachel before." Lora said.

"Well that's because it's been eight years since I've seen her." Alex replied.

Everyone starred at Alex.

Alex looked at Richie and couldn't help but to notice a little resemblance. "Are you Rachel's son?"

"Yes." Richie replied.

"What's your name?" Alex asked him.

"My name is Richie."

"Are you eight years old?"

"Yes." He shook his head.

Carl smiled awkwardly. "Alex, did Rachel know were coming here today?"

"No. It's been a while since we've talked." Alex took another glance at Richie and then turned back to Carl. "I'm not only here to see Rachel, but I'm here to see my son as well."

Everyone looked at each other kind of funny.

Carl sat up to his seat with a confused look. "Your son?"

Alex smiled as he looked at Richie. "Yes. I'm Richie's dad."

"Huh?!" Richie looked at him very confused. Everyone else looked in shock.

"Um, not to be rude, but, you're white." Lora told Alex.

Alex laughed a little and smiled. "Yes, I am a white guy."

"So how can you be Richie's father?" Carl asked looking a little confused.

"When I last spoke to Rachel, she told me that she was pregnant and I was the only guy she'd been with." Alex told him.

"I don't get it. If you're Richie's dad, where have you been for the last eight years?" Harriet asked.

"I've been searching all over for my son. I was so excited to know that I was going to be a dad but once she told me she was pregnant, she never spoke to me again. I've tried calling her, leaving her messages but she never responded back to me."

Rachel came in through the front door with a light suitcase. Everyone looked at her.


	2. Dad

Rachel looked at Alex in surprise, for she knew who he was. She sat her suitcase on the floor and walked closer to the living room.

"Rachel?" Alex stood up.

Rachel starred at him for a moment. "Alex?"

Richie ran towards his mom and hugged her arm. "Hey mom, he says he's my dad." He pointed.

Rachel retrieved her son's hug back while continuing to stare at Alex. "He is."

Richie opened his mouth in shock and so did everyone else.

Alex smiled at Richie.

Richie looked at Alex and then back at his mom. "But he's white, how can he be my dad?" He held his hands out in confusion.

Harriet, Lora, and Carl continued listening to the conversation.

Rachel bent down to Richie. "You see, you're half white."

"I am?" Richie asked with a confused look.

"Yes baby, I just never told you." She stood back up and looked at her family. "I never told any of you." She began to say something else but stopped herself.

"Rachel, looks like we've got a lot of catching up to do. There's so many questions I have to ask." Alex told her.

"So do I." Richie added.


	3. Hopeful

Later on…

Rachel sat upstairs, alone on her bed feeling kind of guilty.

The bedroom door opened and Harriet walked in. "Rachel, everyone is downstairs ready for dinner. Please would you talk to Richie's dad, Alex."

Rachel glanced up at Harriet and then looked back down, focused on her hands sadly.

Harriet walked closer to where Rachel was sitting. "Why didn't you tell us Richie's dad was alive?"

Rachel sighed. (the heart touching piano begins to play in the background)

"Harriet, when I first found out I was pregnant, I was so scared!" She looked into her eyes as she explained her story. "I didn't feel like I was in the right place. I mean, I wasn't ready to be in a serious relationship… so, I ran off."

Harriet sat down on the bed. "Rachel, let me ask you, were you in love with him?"

Rachel kind of looked at her with doubt. "No, I wasn't. I guess, that's why I left him. I felt like I was in such a strange place in my life." She paused for a moment. "But, after I left, I met this man, fell in love with him and got married."

Harriet smiled. "Robert?"

Rachel smiled back. "Yes. It felt so perfect. You get to where you know what he's going to say before he even says it." She continued to smile. "And you laugh at the same things." She paused for a second, changing her facial expression to more serious. "But then, things change."

"Rachel, it's not your fault."

Rachel looked down for a second and then back up to Harriet. "No, it is! I was wrong for not telling anyone. I was just afraid to admit that the guy I married, wasn't Richie's father." She paused. "I just figured, since I was married with the man I loved, it would be more right and didn't matter because we would someday have a perfect family, like you and Carl."

"Well I wouldn't call what Carl and I have is perfect." Harriet paused. "But we do understand the importance of family. And I think it's important that you try to work things out with Alex so that way Richie can have a mom and dad to look up to." Harriet smiled at her.

"You're right." Rachel sighed. "Harriet, I'm so embarrassed. That poor man has been sitting downstairs waiting this whole time. I don't even know what to do when I go down there." She looked at Harriet for advice.

"Be lucky that Richie's dad still cares for him because there are some men out there that don't even care for their children." Harriet paused for a quick second. "This gives you a chance to start over and make things right because, Rachel, family matters."

Rachel smiled and sighed relief. "Thank you, Harriet. You always know what to say."

Harriet smiled back. "Now lets go downstairs for dinner. Remember, just talk and eat, but, try not to do both at the same time."

They both laughed.

The door bell ranged as they walked downstairs.

Harriet opens the door and there standing was mother Winslow. "After all these years I've been taking care of Carl, you would think he give me a spare key to the house."

Harriet smiled. "Come on in."

Rachel walks to her. "Hi mother Winslow."

"How are you Rachel?"

"Oh…hopeful." Rachel smiled. "You see, Richie's dad is here."

Mother Winslow looked kind of surprised. "Oh is that so?"

Alex poked half his body out from the kitchen door. "Is everything alright?"

Rachel looked at him. "Yes Alex." She smiled.

He smiled back at her and returned back to the kitchen.

"Was that him?" Mother Winslow asked.

"Yes." Rachel replied.

Mother Winslow smiled. "Ohhh he's hot!"

They all laughed together.

* * *

End


End file.
